President Donald Trump has called for the United States to host the World Cup again in 2038, telling Fox News that the country must stage the tournament while he is still around. The comments come amid growing interest from Fifa, which has quietly encouraged a US bid following a record-breaking revenue surge during the 2026 tournament.
Fifa’s revenue projections for the current four-year cycle have risen from $11bn to $15bn, driven largely by an explosion in ticketing and hospitality income. A Fifa source disclosed that sales in the US alone have exceeded $5bn, making that revenue stream worth more than the World Cup’s TV rights for the first time. “Fifa will want to get back here as quickly as possible,” said a senior figure at one of its hospitality partners.
One reason for Fifa’s eagerness is the below-market TV deal with Fox Sports, which paid $485m for 2026 English-language rights without a competitive bidding process. Fox is expected to generate over $1bn in advertising revenue from the tournament, prompting Fifa to seek recouping lost income in future cycles. ESPN, NBC and even Netflix have held initial talks about bidding for future rights.
Fifa’s statutes allow the US to host again in 2038, as the 2030 tournament will be spread across six countries in three continents and Saudi Arabia is set to host 2034. However, Concacaf has reservations about another US bid, preferring to give other members opportunities. Costa Rica, Jamaica and Mexico have been added to a joint bid for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, but Trump made clear he wants the US to be sole hosts: “Based on the numbers we will be requesting it again immediately.”
